Yesterday

Tokyo Radio claimed on

December 9, 1942, that

Japanese planes had bombed

Suva’s port and aerodrome and had sunk two United States destroyers and set fire to

another. “PIM” for that month

said the report was officially denied in Suva. Other items in that issue of 20 years ago were: — Lantana, introduced into Tahiti round the turn of the century by an enthusiastic gardener, had be come a major agricultural threat pn the island. It was being attacked by an imported insect, “Teleonemia Lantanae”, which devoured the plant’s leaves and flowers, causing the lantana to die. * * * Australian troops in New Guinea had captured the Wairopi Crossing of the Kumusi. After bitter fight ing they had occupied Gona for the third time. * * • Tonga was riding on a wave of prosperity, brought about by high copra prices and keen demand for food by armed forces in Fiji and New Zealand. The Tonga Methodist Mission had benefited to the tune of £6,500. * * » The French Administration in Tahiti announced that it would strictly enforce a law of 1917 forbidding the sale of beer, spirits and wines in street-side open-air cafes in Papeete. Reporting this, “PlM’s” Tahiti correspondent said “ The population of Tahiti is so mixed that this kind of regulation appears to be necessary”. * * * The general manager of the West Samoan Reparation Estates, Mr. D.

R. Eden, said in a Press interview that rubber production in Western Samoa had increased during the previous decade. He said the yield in 1941-42 was 173,157 lb com pared with 97,110 lb in 1935-36. * * * Twelve months’ imprisonment, or a fine of £2OO, or both were pre scribed under a new Fiji regulation for anyone possessing any utensil for distilling or making spirits or disposing of illicitly made spirits.

These penalties seem drastic enough to discourage the most persistent home-brewer”, “PIM” commented, “but up to date no punishment has served to stamp out this old Fijian custom”.